Box Score Worcester, Mass. - January 24, 2015 - The Springfield College men's basketball team closed the game on a 20-7 run to surge past Clark University, 65-49, on Saturday afternoon in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC showdown.
The Pride improved its record to 11-6 and evened its conference record to 3-3. For Clark, who has dropped three of their last four, they now sit at 7-10 (2-4 NEWMAC).
Tim Swenson (Millbury, Mass.) helped the Pride set the tone early on with a pair of two-handed dunks but the Cougars stayed close and when David Mercier (Milford, Mass.) scored off of an offensive rebound, Clark went into the half with the momentum, trailing only 31-27.
Springfield bumped their lead up to eight a little less than five minutes into the second half as Swenson found a cutting Larry Piretra (Oakland, N.J.) and Josh Altman (Rockport, Mass.) dropped in a top of the key jumper, making the score 39-31.
The Scarlet and White pushed back, scoring nine of the next 13 points on three straight three-pointers from
Tyler Huffman (West Hartford, Conn.). Despite Huffman's sharpshooting, the Pride scored two easy baskets, including one on the break when
Sean Martin (Rindge, N.H.) found a streaking
Brandon Eckles (East Greenwich, R.I.).Clark was within two at 45-42 at just under the ten minute mark when Andrew Musler (Belmont, Mass.) scored inside, but Springfield's defense locked the Cougars down, holding them more than nine minutes without a basket and forcing 13-straight missed shots before Anthony Manzello (Shrewsbury, Mass.) scored with under a minute to play.
During the nine minute scoreless drought for the Cougars, Springfield stepped on the gas, getting three pointers from Martin and Nick Sienkiewicz (Cranston, R.I.) and an easy hoop from Josh Downes (East Sandwich, Mass.) – a basket that gave the visitors their biggest lead at 22 points (65-43) with less than two minutes to play.
One game after tying a program record with 15 made three-pointers, the Pride used an efficient offense to collect the win in this contest, handing out 20 assists on their 28 baskets while shooting 52 percent from the field.
Clark, meanwhile, shot a season-low 28 percent (19-for-66), including going just 7-for-30 in the final 20 minutes of action.
Martin led a quintet of Springfield players in double figures with 14 points, a game-high 12 rebounds to go along with six assists and three steals for his third double double of the year. Downes added 12 points, Sienkiewicz 11, and both Piretra and Altman chipped in with ten apiece. Swenson did a little bit of everything, finishing with six points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocks.
Clark was paced by Mercier, who finished with his third double-double of the season, totaling 14 points and ten boards. Huffman added ten points of his own off the bench and Joseph Atkinson (Milford, Mass.) provided seven points and five assists in 29 minutes.
The Pride will play again on Wednesday when it hosts the first of four-straight home games when Emerson comes to Blake Arena for a 7:00 pm tilt.
